Former Flyers captain Mike Richards was a highly-criticized player during his time in Philadelphia. He was an All-Star and a consistent player offensively and defensively but his personality as a non-vocal leader did not mix well with Philadelphia.

Richards has been gone for two and a half years now but he is still helping the Flyers. Current Flyers captain Claude Giroux told Dan Rosen of NHL.com that he received a text message from Richards a few weeks ago encouraging him during his early-season slump. Giroux said, "he gave me a boost to relax and play the game."

Richards dealt with the pressure of being the captain of the orange and black. If there is anyone in the league who knows what kind of pressure Giroux was/is dealing with - it's Richards.

Giroux, 25, has two goals and 10 assists this season but his game appears to be turning around. He has capitalized on opportunities of late and is playing with visible confidence.